Can Pure Silk Compete with the Established Mepilex Ag in the Treatment of Superficial Partial Thickness Burn Wounds? A Prospective Intraindividual Study.

INTRODUCTION

Superficial partial thickness burns generally do not require surgical intervention and are managed with specialized wound dressings. Mepilex Ag is commonly used and often represents the standard of care. This study evaluated the clinical performance of pure silk compared to Mepilex Ag.

METHODS

A prospective, single-center intraindividual study was conducted on adult patients with superficial partial thickness burns. Each burn wound was divided, treating one half with pure silk and the other with Mepilex Ag. Clinical parameters including wound closure time, pain levels, and scar quality at 3-month follow-up were analyzed.

RESULTS

Twenty-four patients were included (mean TBSA: 5.8%). Mepilex Ag showed a trend towards a shorter wound closure time (10.5 vs. 11.5 days; = 0.223). Pain scores remained below 4/10 for both dressings throughout treatment. However, Mepilex Ag demonstrated significantly lower pain on day one (3.5 vs. 2.77; = 0.039) and day two (2.91 vs. 2.27; = 0.041). Scar quality after 3 months was similar.

CONCLUSION

Both dressings proved to be effective treatment options. Pure silk required fewer resources, showed high clinical practicality, and demonstrated a similar performance to Mepilex Ag in key clinical parameters, making it an interesting option for other clinics and our standard of care.